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Ethics, moral action, perspectives

Short answer

Ethics studies right and wrong conduct. Moral actions are free, responsible acts affecting others’ welfare; non-moral acts lack moral significance. Professional ethics integrates individual, professional, organisational, social, and legal perspectives to guide responsible decisions.

Define Ethics. What is moral and non-moral action? Write briefly the perspectives of Professional ethics.

Ethics

Ethics is the systematic study of what is right and wrong, good and bad in human behaviour. It supplies principles to judge and guide actions. The word comes from Greek ethos (character, custom).

Moral and non-moral action

  • Moral action: an act done knowingly and freely, by a responsible person, that can be judged right or wrong and affects others' welfare. Example: reporting a design defect that endangers users, or taking a bribe.
  • Non-moral (amoral) action: an act that has no moral value or is outside the question of right and wrong, such as natural events, reflexes, acts of animals or small personal matters like choosing a colour of shirt. An act done without knowledge or freedom (a child or insane person) is non-moral for that person.

Test: Is the person responsible and free, and does the act affect the good of others?

Perspectives of professional ethics

  1. Individual (personal) perspective: personal conscience, character and values of the professional.
  2. Professional perspective: codes of conduct, standards and duties of the profession.
  3. Organisational/employer perspective: company policy, culture, loyalty and duty to employer and client.
  4. Social/public perspective: expectations and welfare of society, environment and future generations.
  5. Legal perspective: conformity with laws and regulations.

Good professional decisions satisfy all these perspectives.

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

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